If you live in Austin, then you probably have a sense that property taxes are high. But do you know exactly how high? If not, the Travis County budget office has you covered. According to the county’s new Budget-in-Brief, the average Travis County homeowner’s tax bill will reach almost $9,000 this year. That’s roughly $500...
Some local officials get huge paychecks. Others walk away with supersized severance packages. Still others are handed pricey perks. Case in point: Bexar County. Included in one of the county’s budget documents is a compensation chart for top officials. The chart includes a column specifying the car allowance given to each official. Some, like the...
The city of Austin’s recent move to cut millions from local law enforcement may end up backfiring in a big way. In the wake of the city’s defunding decision, concerned citizens and top officials alike have begun publicly discussing plans for a state takeover of the Austin Police Department. Proponents argue that the state has...
It is the duty of voters to hold their elected representatives accountable for the decisions they make. This rings especially true for fiscal matters. This much was echoed recently by Mack Morris who wrote that: “If the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, just as surely the price of reasonable taxation is perpetual vigilance.” His...
The Austin City Council is playing politics with public safety. Now some are calling for the statehouse to step in. In a bid to appease far-left radicals, City Hall last month cut millions from the Austin Police Department’s budget and redistributed the money to other social justice causes, such as easing abortion access ($100,000), boosting urban trails...
The city of Austin wants voters to approve a massive bond proposition this November to help fund a $7 billion transportation plan that features a downtown subway system, light rail, and more. But some recent remarks have Austinites asking whether the plan will even work. The controversial comments came from Zach Baumer, the city’s climate...
Despite the suffering and sacrifice of ordinary taxpayers, it seems that some North Texas governments are continuing to tax and spend like normal. For example, Tarrant County officials just approved a budget with “3 to 6 percent salary increases” for county employees. Elsewhere, Fort Worth and Arlington ISDs are asking voters to support massive tax...
Talk about adding salt to the wound, especially since Austin was just rated the “least affordable U.S. city for minimum-wage workers.” Last month, the Austin Independent School District hired a new superintendent, and that official’s starting salary has just been revealed. For her first year, she’ll rake-in a whopping $334,000—more than double what the Texas...
Many Texans have had to make sacrifices this year. Now, some local elected officials are calling on city governments to do the same. One recent high-profile example: Dallas mayor Eric Johnson took aim last week at “bloated” city salaries, saying in a Dallas Morning News op-ed: “The city manager in Dallas makes $406,850 in salary...
Austin officials are pitching voters on a $7.1 billion transportation plan that includes a downtown subway system, light rail, electric bikes, and more. But will the plan’s tax increase scare voters away? It’s certainly possible after seeing the numbers. According to Community Impact, the average Austin-area homeowner will pay hundreds of dollars more per year...
Dallas ISD shocked the state earlier this month when it announced “the largest bond request in Texas history.” Now, another school district is raising eyebrows with its own record-breaking ask. On Monday, San Antonio ISD trustees voted to send a mammoth $1.3 billion bond package to voters in November. Its enormous size easily earns it...
People passionate about public policy don’t aspire to make a dollar. They strive to make a difference. And having an impact is almost always deeply satisfying. That was certainly the case with Pflugerville this week. On Tuesday, the Texas Public Policy Foundation hosted Senator Paul Bettencourt and Representative Dustin Burrows to talk taxes and the...